WFF: How to win over your employees

Motivational speaker Chris Helder understands that managing people is one of the top challenges that business owners and executives face, which is why he gave tips on the topic Monday during a session at the Women's Foodservice Forum in Dallas. One of his main themes was how managers should package the same message in different ways based on the employee's personality type.

Since communicating change within any organization is usually difficult, Helder used it as an example. Whether its implementing new policies or procedures or discussing staffing changes, managers should not expect to deliver the message in the same way to all types of people. Instead, the best way to ensure buy-in from each employee is to communicate with each person based on their personality type. Helder described four types:

Red — The power personality: This person is driven by results, power and control and only cares about the future. They don't have time for pleasantries and are always making sure things move along.Winning them over: The way to get Reds to go along with any new idea is to tell them how they will make more money and gain more control and power. They need to understand how the change will be good for them on a personal level.

Yellow — The party personality: Impulsive, outgoing and visual are this person's traits. They live "in the now" and want their jobs to be fun.Winning them over: This person is the easiest to manipulate, said Helder, who admitted he was a yellow. They thrive on affirmation, so giving them a lot of compliments while assuring any change in the company will mean more fun will get them on your side. Be sure to stress how important their role will is, because they are so impulsive that they may start looking for a new job if they hear change is coming.

Aqua — The peacemakers: While these are usually the kindest and most loyal group of people, managing them can be tough if you don't constantly prove your loyalty. They are motivated by trust, not money or power. "You must take a lot of time with them," Helder said.Winning them over: Showing them how important they are to the company is the only way to win support from Aquas. A smart manager will pull them aside and tell them a change is coming but that their role is more important than ever and that the company is counting on them to assure the rest of the staff that everything is fine.

Blue — The perfectionist: There is a right way and a wrong way to do everything in this person's eyes. He holds others to an extremely high standard, but that's because he is even harder on himself. He is all about the process and will study the past to learn about the present and then predict and plan the future.Winning them over: A blue person must understand why something is occurring, and it must make logical sense. If a manager, for example, is changing the company's vision she must present the idea by first describing how they did it in the past, how they are doing it now and how it will change in the future.

Cherryh Butler /
Cherryh Butler has been a reporter and editor for nearly 15 years, writing on a variety of topics, ranging from the restaurant industry to business and health and fitness news. Before joining Networld Media Group as managing editor of Food/Retail Publications, she was content specialist at Barkley ad agency in Kansas City and has served as editor for several publications. She's also written for several daily newspapers, magazines and websites, including Forbes, The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine. www